Ex-general leads in race to rule violent Guatemala

Right-wing ex-general Otto Perez Molina looked likely to win a presidential runoff in Guatemala, promising a "firm hand" against the country's growing drug violence, as observers fanned out across the country to monitor the polls. The electoral mission of the Organization of American States (OAS) said it was sending 65 observers across the 22 Guatemalan departments in a bid to maintain a transparent, fair poll on Sunday. Leading candidate Perez Molina scored 55 percent, 10 points ahead of wealthy businessman Manuel Baldizon, in polls leading up to the runoff to succeed President Alvaro Colom in Central America's most populous nation. Rich in natural beauty and Mayan ruins but lying on major drug trafficking routes between South America and the United States, Guatemala is struggling to emerge from a 36-year civil war, which ended 15 years ago. Brutal attacks from Mexico's Zetas drug gang have joined lingering political violence in the nation of 14 million, where more than half the population lives in poverty. Most of the population is indigenous, overwhelmingly so in rural areas, and belongs to ethnic Maya groups. Human rights observers have expressed concern that was the "most violent" election cycle in recent history, with 43 dead in campaign-related killings, and dozens of death threats lobbed at candidates and the electorate since the campaign kicked off in May this year. Four years after narrowly losing to Colom, Perez, 61, focused his multi-million-dollar campaign for the Patriotic Party (PP) on creating jobs and cracking down on crime. He has even proposed using the army against drug traffickers. Populist Baldizon, 41, from the Renewed Democratic Liberty (LIDER) party, also plowed millions of dollars into his campaign, making promises from increasing the use of the death penalty to helping the soccer team make it to the World Cup. Experts say the tough stance of both candidates underlines the concern of Guatemalans about how to improve security in a country with a murder rate of around 18 per day, with more than 40 percent of killings blamed on drug gangs. Perez, who represented the army in 1996 at the peace accord signing, has denied accusations  that rights abuses took place under his command during the war. Some 200,000 people are believed to have died or gone missing during the civil war, according to United Nations estimates. Baldizon has been criticized for his changing allegiances, after moving from the political left to right, and is fighting rumors that his party has received money from drug gangs in his northeastern region of Peten. Whoever wins, a woman will be Guatemala's vice president for the first time. Perez Molina's running mate is Roxana Baldetti, 49, while Baldizon's is Raquel Blandon, 68. The new president, who will take over on January 14, faces multiple challenges. Corruption from organized crime gangs is rife in the country bordering Mexico and across the region. According to the United Nations, 98 percent of crimes go unpunished in Guatemala. The treasury is also bankrupt after right-wing opposition parties blocked government attempts at fiscal reform and the approval of 500 million dollars in loans. Malnutrition affects a staggering 49 percent of minors and illiteracy affects some 30 percent of the population. The figures typically are worse in isolated rural areas where Maya is spoken. Bilingual education, and literacy for millions of Maya speakers, have not been consistent priorities. "The new government must call for unity in the nation, because the situation is very difficult, with a lack of solutions to overcome poverty and inequality, excessive violence and a public debt which keeps rising," said political analyst Marco Antonio Barahona. Colom, who is limited to one term, managed to break a half century of domination by the hard right but struggled to reform the country with limited means and a fragile majority. His social democratic National Unity of Hope (UNE) party failed to present a candidate in the first round because his wife, Sandra Torres -- who even divorced Colom to try to run for office legally -- was disqualified. More than 7.3 million Guatemalans are eligible to vote on Sunday, after renewing members of Congress, mayors and town councilors in September's first round.